Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

Jarnell Stokes, a high school prospect from Memphis, said on Tuesday that he will announce his college decision Thursday night, which is noteworthy because Stokes plans to enroll in college early and maybe play this season.

Stokes' list of possible destinations includes Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Memphis and Tennessee, but multiple sources have told CBSSports.com that it's really down to just Florida, Memphis and Tennessee. The 6-foot-8 forward Tweeted Tuesday that he remains undecided.

CBSSports.com ranks Stokes at the 16th-best prospect in the Class of 2012, but he's not playing high school basketball this season because the TSSAA ruled him ineligible after he transferred from Central High to Southwind High. Consequently, Stokes started weeks ago exploring the possibility of graduating high school early and enrolling in college early. He told CBSSports.com on Tuesday that that's exactly what he'll do, and when asked whether he wants to redshirt this season or play immediately Stokes said, "Of course I want to play."

That could be a problem for the hometown Tigers.

Memphis does not have a scholarship available for this season. And though Stokes could get enough financial aid and academic scholarship money to basically go to Memphis for free, he would almost certainly not be allowed to play at Memphis this season because he would be considered a "recruited walk-on" thanks to an official visit he took to Memphis earlier this year, and the NCAA does not allow "recruited walk-ons" to play in their first year on campus.

Meantime, Florida and Tennessee both have scholarships available. Multiple sources told CBSSports.com that Gators coach Billy Donovan and Vols coach Cuonzo Martin have each made it clear to Stokes that he can play for them this season, and that is, again, something Memphis coach Josh Pastner simply cannot offer because of an obscure NCAA rule.

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

Are you serious? At least UK fans will tell Minnesota that that got a good coach in Tubby Smith. Your coming off as a jaded Memphos fan that didn't want to lose their coach, but did.

Guess making the final four wasn't good enough last year?? Yep, bad decision by Liggins I suppose . . . get real! Guess you could level the same criticism at Kansas last year, or UK and Kansas the year before. How many times has the #1 of #1's actualy won it?? A team is fortunate enough just to give themselves a chance of getting lucky or unlucky by the elite 8.

Coach K said it?? When?? Show me one article where either him or Knight said Cal was a bad Halftime coach.

Your a jaded blowhard!!

Since: Dec 5, 2011

Posted on: December 21, 2011 8:06 am

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

Who dafuk are you talking about? You lost everyone in the last paragraph.

Since: Feb 1, 2010

Posted on: December 21, 2011 3:04 am

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

the NCAA does not allow "recruited walk-ons" to play in their first year on campus. ???

Are you SURE about this ?

Seems like Ive seen lots of recruited walk ons on teams rosters and who play their first year.

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

Joey Dorsey, Shawn Taggart, Robert Dozier.............. not one of these guys is an impact player in the NBA. Cal had 2 of them for 4 years at Memphis. Josh H is a hustling machine, but he has not played a minute of regular season NBA ball. Let's wait before we get too excited about the next great UK center in the NBA. When did you guys run plays for him last year , besides him setting picks and rebounding missed 3pt attempts ?

Does anyone think that Eloy Vargas is a 1st round pick in waiting ?

Don't call me an idiot because I know more about your coach than you do. You guys had better hope that Sullinger stays hurt, and Syracuse drops an early game in the tourney. Otherwise, it will be another sad year for the college team ranked #1 for recruits again. The final shot for UK in the tourney last year was a missed 25 ft shot by Liggins. Not a good decision. That may not be a direct coaching decision, but it was ill advised shot at best. There was a timeout called prior to that play. Maybe Cal set up a great play, but liggins ignored it ?

Everyone outside of UK knows that the guy is too arrogant to make the proper adjustments in game. I didn't come up with this - Coach K at Duke said it. Bobby Knight said it before him. It is obvious to everyone except the fans of the team he currently coaches. I would know because I saw it aginst Kansas in person. Sadly, watched it again against Mizzou as well a year later. Of course, he had already quit our team, but we didn't know it yet.

Since: Aug 22, 2011

Posted on: December 21, 2011 12:09 am

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

You obviously don't know much about basketball. Cal can't coach big men? Did you ever watch Josh harrellson before cal got him. He's now playing with the Knicks. Your'e an idiot.

Since: Apr 28, 2007

Posted on: December 20, 2011 11:16 pm

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

I watched Cal's offense for 9 years in Memphis, and I know that he does not develope big men. True low post players are not what he specializes in. He took patrick patterson and put him on a wing for almost an entire year. He did run a few set plays for Cousins, but does any UK fan honsetly beleive Cousins got better by the end of the year ? He couldn't score against WVU because he was on the bench after a couple of temper tantrums. UK has had the most talented team or at least the 3rd most talented team in the tourney since Cal got their. So far you have nothing but shoulda,coulda woulda, kind of like a Memphis team from 2008. The man is too arrogant to be a great coach. He is the number one recruiter in the college game today, but a great floor coach he is not.

Stokes will be at TN because it is the best fit for him.

Since: Jun 13, 2009

Posted on: December 20, 2011 10:30 pm

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

I normally do not respond to snarky comments, but in this case I'll make an exception. The truth is that Memphis does not always claim the rest of the state. An unfortunate geographical snafu occurred, but we live with it and try to make the best of it.

Since: Jun 13, 2009

Posted on: December 20, 2011 10:26 pm

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

It probably isn't Memphis since Memphis doesn't have a scholarship. It could be UK. They have a 7-8 man rotation and they could use Stokes except for his youth. I just don't think he is planning on going too far from home so I think he is a UT lean. Whatever it is I am over the drama.

Since: Sep 19, 2006

Posted on: December 20, 2011 9:57 pm

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

it evidently isn't going to be Memphis

I'm cool with that. Dude's a headcase.

Since: Apr 13, 2008

Posted on: December 20, 2011 9:43 pm

Stokes announcing college choice Thursday

Why not take the NBA to court?That league and the NFL should be ashamed of themselves for forcing universities to pervert themselves in this charade.